Fitness Assessment

Basic-Standard THT® Fitness Assessment:

If you are interested in starting an exercise program and you are a beginner, then you can get started with our THT® basic fitness assessment that will give you and the trainer a good base of information to start. Our focus is mostly looking at proper movement of basic exercises which also includes body fat and basic measurements.

Or

If you are concerned or interested in a more in-depth fitness assessment with more bench marks to motivate you, this will give you a good look at your fitness level, proper movement mechanics, body fat with body measurements, flexibility and cardiovascular fitness.

THT® Functional Movement Screening

The FMS is a ranking and grading system that documents movement patterns that are key to normal function. By screening these patterns, the FMS readily identifies functional limitations and asymmetries. These are issues that can reduce the effects of functional training and physical conditioning and distort body awareness.

The FMS generates the Functional Movement Screen Score, which is used to target problems and track progress. This scoring system is directly linked to the most beneficial corrective exercises to restore mechanically sound movement patterns.

Exercise professionals monitor the FMS score to track progress and to identify those exercises that will be most effective to restore proper movement and build strength in each individual

What Is The Functional Movement Screen?

The functional movement screen is a series of 7 movements that require a balance of mobility and stability.

Each movement is scored from 0 to 3:

0 = pain during movement

1 = failed movement pattern

2 = passed but with some compensations

3 = passed with no compensations

Out of a total score of 21, the average scores ranges from about 13-15, depending on age and fitness level. A score of 1 on any screen means that movement should not be trained, but should be corrected. A score of 0 requires that a competent medical professional should perform an evaluation. An asymmetry such as a score of 1 on one side and a 2 on the other side is the most immediately important movement dysfunction to correct.

The FMS is not designed to identify the specific reason why a faulty movement patterns exists. There can be tons of possible reasons, but identifying there is a problem is the first step toward correcting it. The screen is also not a training tool, but a rating and ranking tool.

What Are The Benefits Of A Functional Movement Screen?

1) Injury Prevention

The FMS may help you identify movement dysfunctions before they cause an injury. In a report, which analyzed 25 research studies on the FMS, Dr. Butler of Duke University stated:“The Functional Movement Screen is a reliable tool that can be used to identify individuals who are more likely to become injured.”

2) Pain Identification

If you experience pain as you are completing any of the 7 movements, or 3 clearing tests, you need to get checked out by a competent medical professional. The FMS may be able to identify that something is wrong before the injury gets even worse. Surprisingly, as many as 20% of people report pain during the assessment.

I recommend seeing an SFMA certified professional who can then decide to refer you out to a medical doctor, or offer corrective exercises, which may help alleviate, and hopefully eliminate the pain entirely.

3) Systematic Approach

Because the FMS uses a simple checklist with clearly defined criteria, it’s easy for coaches administering the screen to arrive at a reliable score that can be repeated with other coaches. In his report, Dr. Butler also wrote:

“These studies have revealed high reliability between raters who have been trained in the Functional Movement Screen, even with minimal training (4 hours) using videotaped as well as real time scoring methods.”

4) Repeatable

Because the FMS is a standardized screen, you can continue to get tested over time to assess your progress, or identify movement dysfunctions that may arise. You can set a schedule of getting tested every month, or every quarter, or maybe just annually.

Re-testing can help you identify improvements you make. If you score a 0 on any of the screens, your doctor should not clear you for exercise that involves whatever movement screen you failed. If you score a 1 on any screen, your primary focus should be to bring that score up to a 2 to help prevent injury.

5) It’s A Corrective Exercise System

Not only can the FMS help you identify dysfunctional movement patterns, it may help you correct them as well. So the FMS is really a comprehensive screening and corrective exercise system. This system is referred to as the FMS Training Cycle, which is easily worthy of a separate article.

If you get a 1 on a movement pattern, the FMS offers other movements to complete to help correct that pattern. These new movements are like an extension of the initial screen. It may only take 5 minutes to improve your score from a 1 to a 2.